Adventures in Parenting

Do you feel pressure to be a creative homemaker?

Imagine this… your children’s rooms are painted all cute. The dishes are coordinated with cups and napkins. The furniture is arranged like a home magazine photo, with accent pillows, soft lighting…I am getting so tired just thinking about everything that I cannot do!

I am not a perfect mom like that.

When it comes to Christmas, my house is not beautifully decorated. We do have our Christmas tree, a Christmas table cloth, and we do have garland and stockings on the mantle. But nothing is well coordinated and the decorations are not in the latest style. Martha Stewart definitely does not live anywhere close to my house!

If you are like me, I want to give you a high-five and a big hug!

I would like to believe our children do not really care if the ornaments are color coordinated. What I want most for my children is for them to experience a meaningful and joyous Christmas season. If I am working too hard and getting stressed out trying to make a picture-perfect household, I would not be able to express the peace and joy of the Christmas season in my life. And I really do want my household to enjoy that peace and joy of Christmas.

Therefore, I will just center on what I can do to make the holiday meaningful for my children and family.

1. Read an advent book each day leading up to Christmas. A few years ago, a friend bought me an advent calendar with little books that tells the Christmas story. There are 25 ornament-size books that can be put on the Christmas tree after reading one a day. My children look forward to hearing the stories even though they practically have it memorized. Reading a portion of the Bible from the book of Luke every night is very meaningful.

2. Go to a Christmas service at a big church. We attend a small church without much of a music program or a choir. So I find a large church in the area that offers a Christmas program with a full choir, orchestra, and preferably the presentation of Handel’s Messiah. While we love our church for the small family feel, I want my children to experience some of the sense of grandeur of the glory of Christmas.

3. Make Christmas cards. You don’t have to be super creative for this. Just buy some card stock, color paper, stickers, and other card making material you find at an office supply store or craft store. Spread it out on the table, turn on Christmas music, and let your imagination flow. Since Christmas is about sharing love with family and friends, what better way to do that than making a personalized card? We do not make enough for everyone on our mailing list, but only for our closest friends and relatives who would actually appreciate my children’s “artwork”. While my children are making cards, I sit with them addressing envelops and writing out store-bought cards to people on our list.

There are many ways to make a meaningful Christmas. Remember to do what you do best, and be relaxed about it.

What are some of your ideas?